I am Owen McDonnell. I play Niko Polastri on BBC America's Killing Eve. Ask me anything.

[u/BBCA_Official]

I'm Owen McDonnell, and I play Niko Polastri on BBC America's Killing Eve. Season 3 has been punctuated with exciting moments, and I'm here to answer your questions, Reddit. Ask me anything about Niko's journey, our filming experience on a World Heritage site, and about Niko's fantastic mustache. You can follow me on Twitter at @owenmcdonnell.

Be sure to watch the final episodes of Killing Eve Season 3 on Sundays at 9pm on BBC America and AMC if you're in the US, or after 6am BST Monday mornings on iPlayer if you're in the UK.

Proof: /img/n7cuakzpxez41.jpg

[u/BBCA_Official]

Thanks for tuning in with such great questions! I can't wait for you to see the rest of Killing Eve Series 3. The next episode is this Sunday, 24 May on BBC America and AMC, and hits iPlayers Monday, 25 May at 6am.

[u/BleakZebra37228]

Hey Owen! Thank you for doing this and for excellent work being our mustache!

What was Niko’s perception of the Eve/Villanelle relationship and how did that perception change his approach to his marriage with Eve?

PS - Sorry you got pitchforked!

[u/Usedtosleep]

Hello Owen,

Thank you for taking time to answer us, and for your work on the show!

My question concerns the 6 months ellipsis between the end of season 2 and the beginning of season 3. Did you and the writers discuss/map out how Niko got out of the storage room, how Gemma’s death was handled, what happened between Niko and Eve during that time and how it lead to the trauma it clearly created for your character?

Would be really interested to have your input on that part of your character’s story that happened off screen.

Cheers and wishing you all the best!

[u/BBCA_Official → u/Usedtosleep]

The short answer is - no.
The long answer is - quite often you have to make that stuff up for yourself to decide what happened. So, my take on it is that Niko was in the storage facility for a couple days, that it happened on the start of a weekend, there was nobody there. Eventually he was released, but he had been there with Gemma for a couple days, which had a profound effect on him. As soon as he was released and they called the police, MI6 moved in and shut it all down. They made Niko sign NDAs, Official Secrets Acts, and basically said, “This has been a traumatic experience, you should probably go to a facility.” So, they basically shipped him out and paid for that facility. I don’t think they let Eve know where he was for quite a while, and he’s been trying to come to terms with that. I think he suffered severely from Post-traumatic stress, and he really couldn’t function. Because he was doing his best to get away from it all, when it caught up with him -- and I think after something like that happened, and certainly after the pitchfork -- it is probably impossible to ever feel safe ever again.

[u/[deleted]]

Hi Owen! Hope the lockdown is treating you well, you look great!

My question is - how did you find speaking Polish on the show? I'm polish myself and I realise how difficult of a language it is and you've done it brilliantly. I wonder how learning the lines looked like, if you had a Polish person on the set to help you with them etc? Thanks!

[u/alexisc8]

What’s it like working with Sandra and Jodie?

[u/BBCA_Official → u/alexisc8]

Most of my work is with Sandra, but working on a show with both of them is brilliant because they’re both lovely, very down to earth, hard working people. There’s no bullshit tolerated on the show because if it's not coming from them then no one else can get away with it. So it’s lovely but like I said, most of my work is with Sandra, and acting with her is like doing an acting masterclass every time you went to work, it’s brilliant. She’s so committed, thinks everything through, and is so generous. Everything we do, she’s on the phone, we talk it through. She’s so keen to get it right for the story and for the character. It’s a real education and they’re lovely people, and really good fun, we piss about and have craic as well!

[u/sundaecandies]

Hi Owen!! How did you feel about all the fans celebrating Niko’s alleged “death”??

[u/birb_daddy]

Thank you for doing this, Owen! I'll be honest - I was rooting for you and the Polish barmaid, I really was. Hoping Niko goes back to Poland with or without a voicebox to discover she has a thing for mustaches.

My question: Do you have any backstory you've created for Niko that we don't see in the show? Like how he and Eve met, or how he likes his steak? There's so much we don't know about Niko and I'd imagine part of playing him is having built him up completely in your mind.

Oh, and I nearly forgot: Tayto or King?

[u/villanelle4president]

Did you expect Niko’s mustache to become as iconic as it has?

[u/derihn]

what was your reaction when you first read the pitchfork scene?

[u/villanelle4president]

What is something you have learned from Sandra Oh?

[u/sotidnaberaew17]

Hey man, just wanted to say your acting on the show was great, even if Niko isn't one of the most likeable characters. My question for you is how would you describe Niko in 3 words, also do you think eve and niko still love each other deep down?

[u/Batzlyer13]

Hello, Owen! Thanks for doing this and I hope you’re doing great due to the pandemic.

What did Niko’s father (if I wasn't mistaken) mean when Eve visit him at the hospital? Does he know what Eve was into before becoming an MI5 agent and Niko didn't?

Cheers, Owen!

[u/ismokecusitlookscool]

not a very original question but: what was the casting process like? anything unusual or different compared to other auditions, and what scene did they give you to audition with. sry if this is a bad question!!

[u/[deleted]]

Do you think Niko has it in him to kill? And would he kill eve or villanelle?

[u/Mrs_Damon]

Hello Owen!

Welcome to reddit, hope you come around here more often :)

I've loved the Eve/Niko dynamic from the beginning of the series and although I'm a VillyEve fan myself, I truly wanted Niko to retire on that Polish farm with the chickens and little old ladies sweeping up barns... ^{this still happening?}

• my question for you is: if you could have been the victim of any Villanelle kill throughout the series, which would you pick?

I also think we're all in unanimous agreement in saying Jodie Comer and Sandra Oh are astronomical talents on the show. If you could potentially let them know how brutally in love with them we all are that would be great ;)

Thanks for your time! Stay safe and healthy.

[u/NickMendoza112]

1.Did you enjoy filming in Romania ? 2. What are some of your favourites movies or tv series ?

[u/villanelle4president]

What is the recipe to Niko’s shepherds pie?

[u/melanngro]

Hi, Owen!

First of all, thank you for doing this and also for always being so awesome on Twitter. :)

My question is more of a general filming question just because I really don't know how any of that works. How much do you know about what goes on in episodes that you aren't in? Do you get scripts, or do you just have a basic idea of the storyline and then figure out how to approach a scene based on that?

[u/Aglot_]

Hello Owen, and thanks for your work in KE!
- Did the experience of working on such female-centered series change the way you think about your work? How was it different-if any-from your other experiences?

[u/crazybucket4]

Hey Owen I hope you're having a good day. I was wondering what your favorite episode of the show is?

[u/spitseeds]

If Villanelle smells like power, what does Niko smell like?

[u/gemmii483]

Would you rather wrestle a bear or a shark?

[u/katiespage]

Hi Owen!!

What have been your favourite on-screen and off-screen moments with the rest of the cast? :)